Advances in detector arrays such as charge coupled devices (CCDs) permit image acquisition under difficult conditions. In addition, detector arrays have been configured to conveniently acquire data for production of color images so that imaging systems based on detector arrays have become common. Thus, cameras for capture of still and moving images have become widely available for consumer, industrial, and scientific applications.
While detector array based cameras and imaging systems are often practical, such systems are not generally well equipped for imaging very bright objects, especially in images that have high dynamic ranges. In addition, variations of image intensity throughout an image can be sufficiently large that both very dim and very bright images portions occur. The accurate, reliable acquisition of such high dynamic range images can be challenging, and improved methods and apparatus are desirable.